The right of initiative for holding the republican referendum belongs to the President of the Republic of Belarus, the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic, and the citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

The initiative of the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic for holding a republican referendum is expressed in the form of a proposal which is adopted at the separate sittings of those bodies by the majority of the total number of members of each of the chambers and submitted to the President of the Republic of Belarus.

The initiative of citizens for holding a referendum is expressed in the form of a proposal, which is put forward by not less than 450 thousand citizens, enjoying voting right, including not less than 30 thousand citizens from each region and the city of Minsk.